(rewrite) Pokemon: Saga of Jade (rewrite)
by Nicki Fowl
Summary: Second verse same as the first. Three lives, three people, and one story. This is the real world. This is the Saga of Jade. (Content rating is subject to change)
1. Foreword and Apology

Pokémon: Saga of Jade

By: Nicki Fowl

**Before we go any further, I want to apologize for not keeping up with the story. I let things slide too much. Furthermore, I read the comments about this story in the reviews and, well; it finally got me to start this.**

**This is a rewrite of the original Pokémon: Saga of Jade. I have not given up on the story, nor will this go in an entirely W. T. F. left field direction. This will be a ****rewrite****. This means I'll be using the original story as a guideline and assistant to help me retain ****some**** of the original feel. This does not mean I'll simply type the same stuff in different words either.**

**This will actually be a good thing, as this will allow me to make the story deeper, more meaningful, and most importantly, make it more entertaining. This decision was not made lightly, and I only decided to do this because I believe it will be a great benefit to this story.**

**This also means I care about what you people say. So drop me some reviews, dammit!**

**Oh, PS: I'll be using the original script as a way to put my ideas on paper. The 10,000 word mark still stands as the standard for chapter length, but this time I'll have not only a reference, but a way to put the ideas down in story form ****first**** before I use the official submission.**

**So, without further ado, and with a bit of pride, I present the remade and rewritten Pokémon: Saga of Jade.**

**May it live up to all our expectations.**


	2. Intro

"_I do not believe you truly understand the reason of this sacrifice, the reason for this research, the reason for this entire facility. You ask me how I can take the life of a Pokémon when I am supposed to be protecting them, trying to foster their protection and equality._

"_Our people and the Pokémon are inexplicably bound together. You understand this bond, don't you? It's how we understand the Pokémon, how we manage to foster friendship and love with them, why we are all of different opinions on them and how they should be treated._

"_Pokémon are just as human as you and I. You see this, do you not? Can you not feel the pain in their eyes, or the love of their embrace? Can you not see how the pokémorphs prove this, or how much of ourselves are shown within Pokémon?_

"_You say that I am crazy. I admit it, I am crazy. But are we not all? Is love sensible? No. Do we all have love in our hearts? In one for or another, the answer is yes. So would we not all be crazy? Would you, who love your Pokémon so much you once risked your life to defend them, not in your own way be as crazy as I?_

"_I want to prove our bond. I want to show people that we are tied more closely to the Pokémon, and by extension the pokémorphs, than what we see on the surface, that, in a way, we are of the same breed._

_So if I am crazy for wanting to do everything in my power to protect the ones I hold dear, then I am crazy. But I am crazy enough to know that I am willing to, if and when the time comes, lay my life down for them without a second thought._

"_**That**__ is the reason; for this facility, for the heartbreak of every sacrifice, for every single piece of steel you can see here."_

-From Hiora, Pokémon Genetics professor, follower of Arceus

-Intro-

\/  
Dear Journal,

Every day I am closer, closer to the answer I and my allies seek. I can feel it. But at the same time, every day, it becomes harder to go on.

Though my efforts slowly bring fruit, every tribute to this search is a needle of salt through my heart. Every drop of sweat spent is a drop that those opposed to this project will spit upon, and do their utmost to halt for their own reasons.

But I must keep going. I _have_ to. Once this is finished, we can finally prove the bonds that exist between the Three Sentients, and then we will be able to save lives. Only then will be finally able to end the senseless violence that permeates the world, and if not end it, then we can at the very least bring it down to the point where it might strangle itself into nonexistence.

Today, however, was particularly unusual.

I rested in the front hall this morning, trying to maintain my strength and resolve to continue this project, as I do every morning. I was meditating, specifically, on the pokémorphs, and as I now look back upon that morning, I see the irony of this, and it makes me wonder if it was not random chance, but fate weaved and given power by the will of almighty Arceus, a fate placed upon a being whose race came forth with the aid of my own hand.

The irony of that morning is that one of the pokémorphs had barged into the building, holding her shoulder and crying for sanctuary. She was being hunted by her own people, and that was because she'd been caught with the humans.

This I still cannot understand.

They share human traits, even some of our appearance, and yet they distanced themselves from us like the living from the dying, and even sometimes saw themselves as superior to humans, a greater race than ourselves, though the real irony might be that many humans thought the same way about the pokémorphs, seeing themselves as more important than them. I see now that particular morning was a cacophony of ironies of all shapes and sizes.

And I, as you very well know my trusty journal, am not a fan of irony.

She came, pleading for safety, for sanctuary in a house dedicated to the one that helped shape her. I am a follower of Arceus, a man of the father of all things, so I could not in good faith allow one of His creations to be deprived of aid when I had empty beds and full pantries.

I extended her protection, as was required of me both of Arceus and of a faithful, decent man.

Then those that sought her demise came for her. They entered a house of peace with anger in their hearts and a taste for blood upon their tongues. I did my best to turn them without violence, as spilt blood only begot more of the same.

They refused. I maintained my temper only until one of them threatened the other children of this house.

That I would not stand for.

I…I lost my control. I would have taken their lives had they not pled for my mercy.

This reminded me of my duties as a man of Arceus. I reminded them to leave this house of their maker, who would not stand for spilt blood on the grounds of life, and this time they heeded my words, leaving in peace.

The one who had been pursued gave me thanks. I deserved no thanks. I had lost my temper and nearly became another hypocrite who warns you with one hand and does what he warns against with the other.

Now that she resided here, I showed her she was not alone in this house, that there were others who sought these walls of faith, and who I opened them to for shelter and love. I showed her, within these walls, she was as much my child as were all the others here. Irony struck again, as the remark about being my child was far closer than she realized, as I knew.

I gave a bed to rest on, and food for her belly. She accepted, and I told her I would find her a home among my people if her own had rejected her. That seemed to brighten her mood. Then she told me the name of someone she wanted to meet, a boy that had captured her heart.

I cannot remember his name. I think that it was Dominic. No, wait, it was Zack. Wait, ah, now I remember.

His name was Ash, Ash Ketchum.

This is the story of his love.

A pokémorph named Jade.

-End Intro-


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

How it began.

\/

\/

\/

At first, the world of Pokémon and people was at peace, even if there were people who might cause trouble on occasion, the world was more or less at peace with itself.

Then a man came to the region of Sinnoh, and in the forest of this region, he built a shack deep inside the trees, where only the lost or the native would ever find it.

The shack was nothing special, even though it was rather large. It was a humble building of wood and stone. Neither, did it seem, was its constructor. His ensemble consisted of nothing more than fur pants, a long green robe, and wooden sandals. His skin was light in color. And he was human.

His shack attracted some attention, but no more than mere curiosity at the choice of location.

Then this shack was visited by the mysterious Ho-oh, who flew in the open as it visited this strange shack in the woods.

It became the center of attention for the entire region. What made that shack so significant, or the man that built it so important, that Ho-oh itself came to it?

Then, soon, all manner of legendary Pokémon came to visit. It was slow, at first, and only the natives of the region. Then more came, not just from Sinnoh, but from all over the world. These made the curiosity grow, and soon people from all over came to try and figure out this mysterious place.

Even Pokémon visited, and not just the legendary. Various Pokémon traveled to this remote place. It seemed that this mystery affected everyone.

The one who built the shack did not care about the fame. He accepted everyone in his house, claiming it built for the glory of Arceus and that he would provide for everyone seeking shelter. He was true to his word, not discriminating once against either Pokémon or his own people, providing a home and hearth to all that needed it.

Who was this man, this 'Father Hiora' that had built this 'House of Arceus"? People seemed so concerned with the mystery, that they forgot to give him due respect. It seemed that only the Pokémon remembered the rule of courtesy.

However, this was minor, and it seemed that there were much bigger Goldeen to catch.

A short time after this shack had been built and the visits had dwindled to the occasional lost tourist, a new being came up from the depths. They could not be called Pokémon, as they could stand, talk, write, or even live as humans. Yet, it seemed, neither could these beings be called human, for they had the bodies of Pokémon, could channel the abilities of those they resembled, of the race of Pokémon that they seemed to be part of.

When they first arose from what seemed like nowhere, trainers tried to capture them. They reasoned these were just a new and rare variation, similar to shiny Pokémon, and might even be more powerful.

Yet their attempts were in vain. Pokéballs wouldn't work on them. They wouldn't even open up, they'd just bounce off of them like they would on a normal person. They could take the medicine of both races, and even be scanned on a Pokédex, but they couldn't be captured, and a Pokédex would only notice the Pokémon part of them.

Soon, they spread, becoming native to all nations. They began controversies of all sorts, creating tension throughout the world. Different nations had different opinions on how they should be treated. Some believed that it would be a crime to associate with this 'abominations' and forbade relationships with them. Some would be caught in the middle, unsure whether to accept or reject these new beings, and thus became neutral to all conflicts involving them. Yet some, like Sinnoh as Hiora had advised, would embrace them, and make them part of society.

Tensions continued to mount between the nations. Mistreatment and abuse added to the tension, as a few extremist groups would form that intended to 'purge the world of these monstrosities'. Mobs of enraged civilians would often go out on witch hunts such as of old, tracking down the 'damnable pests' so they could sate the taste of blood in their mouths.

However, these people would meet much resistance. Not just of nation, but of legendary Pokémon themselves, and of Hiora, who began to already build infamy as a powerful monster and a legend in and of himself.

The pokémorphs, under the threat of death and unceasing wrath, fled. They fled into the woods, the grasslands, the mountains. They hid in the rocks, the waters, the leaves, and all but vanished from site.

This did nothing but cause the strain to rise.

Brother blamed brother as the governments of the sympathetic nations sought to blame the ones that housed the extremists and disproved of pokémorph life.

As they did, the pokémorphs stayed in shadow. Hidden, for they feared for their lives.

They were right to fear, for all the rage, blood and guilt would have but a single conclusion that all people could see.

An all-out, unrelenting brutal war.

It was a war for the lives of a new breed, a war of brother against brother, as nation turned on nation and the land was sown with the seeds of death and decay. It was a war that would only lead to resentment and revenge, releasing a giant bird of darkness across the lives and land of everyone on the planet.

And yet, this war does not hold the bodies of that which it is fought for. The ones who Sinnoh and its brethren fight for are not by their side. No pokémorphs cry out in pain, no soldier bears marks of Pokémon blood, and none of the graves mark those who are the ones at risk.

For those at risk are prevented from defending themselves.

With no way to protect themselves, and no nation giving them lease to fight for themselves, the pokémorphs do the only thing that they can.

They run, and they hide. They run from their fear, from their pain, from death. They hide from their enemies wanting pokémorph blood, from their allies who harm them as much as any foe, from all men but those few who fight _with_ them as equals.

A war still rages, but it is not fought on the field of battle. It is fought in the courtrooms, the stages, the streets. It is fought in the governments, the businesses, the homes. The battlefield lies on the souls of all people, on the words on paper that we obey, on the beds of hospitals and hotels, on any and every surface you can see before you.

For this is a war of silence, far colder than artic waters, and twice as deadly.

It is 10 years into this world that a child lives is born into. It is the modern day. The child is a pokémorph Lucario.

A girl whose name is Jade.

This is her saga.

/

_Theme song is Honor for All by Daniel Licht, the end credits song for the game Dishonored._

**A girl born into a world torn by her kind…**

**A boy whose life was twisted by those who adore him…**

**A man with great power, but also great pain…**

**All these lives are tied…**

**All their fates are one story…**

**This is that story…**

**Pokémon…Saga of Jade**

/

A man sat alone inside a wooden shack, his body rested upon a mat of woven reeds and grass, a bowl of calming incense before him, which he inhaled slowly.

He stroked his silver hair, the light making it shine, and the light from the windows seemed to kiss his lightly colored skin. He wore blue fingerless gloves on his hands, and they seemed to hug his hair as his fingers slowly glided through the semi-short strands. His green robe had the tail spread behind him, and his furry brown pants shined as if alive. To the world, he looked like a wizened old ninja sage, with his sandals resting before him and thoughts on his brow, despite the lack of a headband and his 35 years of age.

His name was Hiora.

Despite his lack of years, he had more wisdom than a council of ancient men, and he had a small aura of power about him, like there was more to him than what you saw.

In his lap was a small Oshawatt, a female, who was resting. He stroked her head gently and she woke up, yawning. He enjoyed the comfort of her body, wrapped an arm around her small form, and for a little while, he enjoyed his life.

For about three seconds.

A noise caught his ear. It was the sound of angry footsteps pounding on stone, and he tensed. A man crashed through the door, in his hand was a bloody cleaver, and with him came a small but angry wind that rushed into the room, extinguishing the incense. The new figure wore butcher's clothes that looked recently stained, and sported a tangled mess of black hair with twigs rooting in it.

He looked rather pissed.

The mysterious 'visitor' pointed his cleaver at Hiora, screaming from across the short hall. "You are a bastard, Hiora!"  
"I beg your pardon?"  
"You heard me! You are a bastard! _And_ you're a thief!"  
"I have stolen no-"  
"Don't give me that! I can see what you stole right in your lap!"

Hiora picked up the Oshawatt, who was trembling.  
"Is this who you're talking about?"  
"Yes, you asshole! Now give it back!"

He brought her back down.  
"Pokémon aren't 'things' but living, feeling beings that we must respect."  
"I really don't give a shit!"

'_Clearly'_, Hiora thought. But the butcher kept going.  
"That thing is mine! MINE, got that! It-"  
"She."  
"What?"  
"This Oshawatt is a she."  
"I don't give a flying _fuck_ what sex that thing is! _It_ is going to come back with me, get back on that stage, and go back to bringing me some customers!"

Hiora felt a vein start to throb on his temple, but he took a deep breath. He picked up the Oshawatt, looked her right in the eyes, and said, "Jennifer, I want you to get out of this room and go in the back with the others. You'll be safe there, and I have a feeling this is going to get really ugly really fast."

He set her down and she scuttled off, doing as she was told.

The butcher was livid. "You named that little shit?! Why'd you go and do that?!"

Hiora stood, "I didn't give her a name. She told me hers."  
"So what, she talks?!"  
"You are ignorant. She could already speak very clearly. You simply lack the patience to listen."  
"Whatever!"  
"Why do you do this? Is it not obvious we share a bond with Pokémon?"  
"The only 'bond' I need is the one between her show and the size of my wallet. She shouldn't have run off, because I told her if she did, I'd hunt her down and skin her hide!"

Hiora felt a growl deep in his throat. "Unlike you, Manta, I treat them with respect. She wanted help, so I gave it."

Manta laughed, "Respect! She doesn't need any respect, just some food, water, and a steel cage!"  
"Why do you do this? She is not a pokémorph, and yet you treat her worse than that."  
"I'll be honest. I don't care. Pokémorph, Pokémon, I really don't care. As long as I have some_thing_ to fill my cage and catch some eyes, I'm perfectly happy.

Then he licked his lips, and lowered his knife, "Now, though, that might not be enough. I might have to think of something really good to make up for lost profit. Oshawatt stew…I think that should do it."  
"You have lost your mind, Manta. That will have you arrested for sure."

"Hey, no body, no case," but he scratched his chin, like he had to think, "But the only problem is; what do I do to replace the lost entertainment?"

At the back of his mind, Hiora had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly what, and his eyes don't lie.

Manta laughed again, a cold and heartless sound, "I know what I'll do! I'll take off your head, and then I'll drag as many of your 'children' as I can back to my shop. A couple new ingredients, a pokémorph dancer or two, because I know you have at least a few of those worthless wastes of space in here, and I'll be more popular than ever!"

Hiora's eye twitched; Manta had crossed the line. He'd threatened the children of this house.

Hiora raised his hands, and brought them together before him, as if he was praying for patience or strength to deal with the threat before him. His body took a menacing air to it, a tiny wind beginning to wind its way around his body like a dust devil, making his baggy-like clothing start to shake in the wind.

His voice had an edge to it, like he was on his last nerve and Manta was chopping away at it with that cleaver.

"Manta the butcher," he said, allowing some of his anger to pour into his voice, making it seem louder and more menacing than before, "I will stand the presence of your anger within this sacred place no more. The Oshawatt whose name is Jennifer is not yours to do with as you please. She is no mere toy, but a being with a heart and a soul. She will stay within this house of protection for as long as is needed to find her a proper home in the world abroad, for she lives under my protection and the protection of the great Arceus, who made this world and all within it.

"As for you, you have crossed the line. You have threatened the house as a whole, and as the father of this household, I will defend it with my every breath against you and your ill intent. However, you deserve one last chance, one last opportunity to repent your evil. Leave this house; depart this building protected by the power of Arceus and his children. Heed this warning, a gift of life, and no harm shall befall you. Persist in your actions, and, well," Hiora shrugged, "I will have to see if it's really possible to beat eight different colors of shit out of someone."

That little joke shook the butcher, but he stood his ground at the threshold. He raised the cleaver over his head, "No chance. I won't move one inch until I've got enough extra 'displays' in my store to make me rich beyond measure."

Hiora sighed, "So be it." Then his voice returned to normal, "However, before I bring you down in the name of Arceus, I must ask."  
"Ask what?"  
"What is it that you made Jennifer do?"

Manta smiled, "Why, 'entertain' up close."

The way his evil smile hung from his face, how he said 'entertain', all of it brought a realization to Hiora that made his eyes go wide.  
"You are a sick and twisted man, Manta."  
"Of course you'd think that."

Hiora's anger began to permeate his body. Meanwhile, Manta took a cautious stance. While no one seemed to know very much about Hiora, Manta spent some good coin in the bars gathering rumors. What he heard didn't really make him happy. So, unsure of what to do, he waited for Hiora to make the first move.

Nothing happened for a while. The wind continued to swirl around Hiora, but he didn't move, watching Manta with sharp and cold eyes. Neither battler made any move for a full minute, until Manta took a single cautious step forward.

BIG mistake.

The wind swirling around Hiora instantly grew twice as strong, and when Hiora threw his palms at Manta, the wind obeyed, charging him with malicious power.

He was blown backward with massive force out of the building and into a tree, where he heard something snap.

He raised his head to find Hiora right there in front of him.

"Holy-"

There were a number of words that Manta could have used to fill the blank in that statement, but none of them were very nice.

However, he didn't get a chance to finish his expletive as Hiora had taken the opportunity to grab him by the throat and pin him against the tree.

Hiora caught Manta's eyes, and then Manta nearly peed his pants.

Hiora's eyes were no longer a warm color of chocolate brown. In their place were sliver eyes with black fang-like slits. His body still had the wind curling around it, giving him a demonic aura. The muscles on his arms and chest were now more pronounced, like he'd gained far more muscle in a few seconds just from that little display he'd made at Manta's expense.

The depths of Hiora's eyes were soulless and dark. They had no sympathy in them, no morals, no honor, nothing but the cold infinite night filling their space, and Manta saw this firsthand.

Within those eyes, in the darkness, Manta could see images. Scenes of death and chaos. The evisceration of countless people, the breaking of dozens on dozens of bones, and he saw Hiora as the cause of it all.

Only one coherent thought managed to hold itself together in the tangled mess that was quickly becoming Manta's mind.  
"What in the name of all things are you?"

Hiora stood there, silent. Then one statement made its way past his lips.  
"I am a servant of my god."

Then he raised one hand, curling it into a fist. Light began to twist around it, distorting and stretching what Manta saw. Then he realized the light was actually be drawn _into_ Hiora's fist, that all the energy twisting around it was being brought inside Hiora's hand.

The fist began to glow like a small star. Hiora drew it back, and Manta turned away, knowing what would happen next.

"Oshawatt!"

They both started. Hiora looked back to see Jennifer looking at him, her paws over her mouth as she walked up to him. All Manta heard her say was her Pokémon name over and over, sometimes just part of it, but Hiora sighed as if he understood.

"You make a good point Jennifer. Now, go inside, I don't want you to see what happens next."

Jennifer nodded, and did as she was told.

Hiora turned his eyes on Manta, and they were once again their normal brown color. The light in his fist fell apart, and he unclenched it, letting his arm fall to his side.

Manta sighed, glad that it was over.

Fool.

Hiora threw him to the side, causing him to roll into another tree. Hiora came after him, dark intent surrounding him. He moved like a tiger that was chasing prey, quickly catching up to and moving in front of Manta, who was trying to scoot backwards while up against a tree.  
"You, Manta, are no more than a demented beast, ruled by his instincts and desires. You allowed you own greed and hunger for power to corrupt you and thus your behavior toward our fellow beings. You will suffer accordingly."  
"What…what are you talking about? I'm just trying to earn a living!"  
"I know this, and I understand how hard it is to earn enough to live in this world. _However_, you do not need to exploit Pokémon or, as you were going to attempt, pokémorphs, in order to earn a proper living."  
"What…what are you going to do to me?!"

Then Hiora smiled, leaning onto one knee, "Why it's quite simple. The solution for dealing with any animal that behaves in such a matter is standard in the modern day, neutering."

With that, he lifted one sandal covered foot, and brought it down hard on Manta's body. Then he lifted it again and brought it down again on him. Both times, Manta screamed out in pain.

Then Hiora turned away from him and returned to his shack to care for the Oshawatt, guilt eating at his mind for what he'd done and praying that Manta would take this opportunity to rethink his motives and goals.

As Manta quickly escaped, Hiora watched from inside, sighing. _'I should not enjoy the site of something like this,'_ he thought, _'There is no honor in what I have done, nor is their decency. May he learn from this event not to harbor hatred for one wanting equality. People who hate as he does are the worst plague a person can wish for.'_

'_If they only knew the truth about the pokémorph origin,'_ he mused, _'But for now, that secret must remain buried deeper than a Digglett hoard. If it came to light now…'_

He waved that particular thought off, _'No, I must not worry about that. The secret is safe. I have other things to attend.'_

As he turned around, the tail-end of a Chimchar vanished around a corner. In front of the reed mat laid incense; it had been replenished and relit, now burning silently before him.

As he sat down on the mat once more, the Chimchar in question, who was in fact a pokémorph, came back from behind the corner. As it slowly came up to Hiora, he rubbed it on the head.

Then he placed his hands in his lap and began to meditate, attempting to wash away all the traces of anger that were still hiding in his veins. As he did so, Pokémon and pokémorph alike came out of hiding, watching him quietly. Soon they gathered around him, resting on or near him. It wasn't long before they had him covered head to foot, watching and resting in his presence, feeling the safety of his body nearby, and for a while, Hiora remembered the feeling of hope that now rose in his chest.

Meanwhile, at a local bar…

"Mack, believe me, I don't care _who_ he is, or thinks he is; we can't let him get away with this."  
"Manta, I understand you're in pain, and I get what you're saying, but no one will go up against him. You've heard the rumors, hell, you felt them firsthand! I think you ought to be counting your blessings that you're still here to bitch at me instead of bitching at Giratina."  
"Bah! All he needs is a serious ass-kicking in one way or another. If no one does anything, what's to stop him from marching right in here and killing us all?"  
"Don't talk like that! Are you seriously that deranged?! If he was listening…"  
"You always were an old woman when it came to rumors, Mack. All I need is to put a case together, get some cops to look at it, and we'll have him in bars in no time! Someone has to knock him off his high Ponyta!"  
"Manta, I don't think that is possible. The guy is just too freaking strong. You dealt with that not an hour ago! I mean, haven't you heard the story?"  
"What story?"  
"Are you serious?! I'm talking about the local legend. The one about the 'Halo Demon' that's been going around."  
"Um, no."

Mack's voice fell to a whisper. "People have been saying that Hiora _isn't human_. When he came here to build the shack, I heard that he did it in less than a day. Then there's the idea that the reason he built that shack in that spot is he feeds on some kind of energy, and he built the shack there because it's a hotspot for the energy he uses to survive. I mean, come on Manta, if he's so important that he gets to meet every legendary _face to face_, let alone at all, I can't be healthy for you to get that guy mad."

Manta fell silent, his beer now untouched.  
"Manta, you okay?"  
"Mack…"  
"Yes?"  
"I don't care. I don't give a _damn_ about the rumors that have been flying around him. _I_ say the only thing we need is to bring Hiora back to reality. He needs to learn that life isn't all Butterfrees and honey bees, it's a boat loaded with cold, hard _shit_ we all have to shovel."  
"Manta, I'm worried about you. You need to be careful what you say, especially about the guy who took on an entire platoon of the Johto military single handed."

Manta's eyes grew big as dinner plates, "You believe that?"  
"Believe it, no. I watched it from the front row."

"Damn straight."  
"Holy… how did one guy take on forty fully armed soldiers at once?"  
"Manta, the military lied. It wasn't forty fully armed soldiers…  
"…it was four thousand."

Manta clutched his chest, afraid his heart would stop. "Dear lord…"  
"That's precisely my sentiments. I feel lucky just to be able to sit here and tell you this in the first place. See, the government said that they were capturing Sinnoh territory. The truth is all they did was feed a monster."

-Flashback to the war-

Mack: "I could easily remember what happened. After all, it was my first assignment, and I was fresh out of boot camp. I was excited, but also depressed. My assignment was to record the actions and battle techniques of the platoon as they took down the forest. This would be used as a live example video, so that the recruits back at base would be able to see how to march, how to shoot, how to avoid being shot, and most importantly, how a real soldier is meant to act in a crisis situation.

"I'll admit it was a good idea. Even though it was really a bunch of bullshit, it did two things. One is that it gave new troops something to feel proud about without getting in the way, and two it gave good footage to remind both Johto citizens and the citizens of other nations why we had such a strong military.

"In order to get a proper view of the entire platoon, I had to record from the top of a tree.

"Once the troops got within firing range of the trees, I began recording.

Then it happened."

Manta: "What happened?"

Mack: "_He_ struck.

"Out of nowhere, a man-like beast flew out of the trees and landed in front of my platoon.

"He stood as tall as any one of us, but he didn't look human.

"His arms were enormous, with shining silver claws at the end of them. The rest of each arm was wrapped up in cloth with all sorts of markings on them. Some of them I could understand, but there were so many I had no idea what they were for. Under the wrappings where the backs of his palms should be were two round bulges.

"He wore armor, like old school medieval knights armor that shined like moonlight in the midday sun. On his back was a green cape that seemed to be floating like the wind was circling his body. I couldn't get a good look at his eyes, but the ones that did in the platoon seemed to be scared.

"He spoke once. He said, 'Fellow men, I ask you to turn back. I know what you are here to do, and I plead that you take the time to understand what this will mean.

'You intend to destroy this forest and as much within it as you can, so that the Sinnoh forces are deprived of the resources this could provide. I urge you to reconsider! You will be taking innocent lives and bringing only further resentment and chaos to both sides! Lay down your weapons and retreat from here! If you refuse and persist with your mission to lay this land to waste, I will have to do my utmost to stop you.

'Before you decide, know this: I hold great power in my hands. If you open fire, you will be using lethal force on land protected by Arceus, and I will have no choice to respond in kind. I will leave no injured, anyone I strike down will be bound for the grave. This is your only chance to spare the earth of blood and bodies. Make your choice.'

"I…I won't lie to you, the calm way he delivered that death threat, like there was no chance of any of the platoon surviving if someone so much as thought about ignoring him, it scared the hell out of me. If I wasn't stuck in a tree, I'd have turned tail and ran right there.

"It looked like some of the other soldiers had the same idea. Even the platoon leader looked shaken. But she stood ground and gave the troops the order to open fire.

"No one got a single shot off.

"The moment those rifles were raised, he made his move, closing the distance so fast I couldn't follow. He tore into those soldiers like a demon from hell, _ripping_ them to pieces with his claws, turning their own weapons against them.

"He didn't just start killing, either, he fought with a plan. The first people he killed were the front line shooters, and he used one of the rifles to snipe the platoon leader. He didn't fight with careless abandon; he did it with thought and patience, actually taking his time to sow as much chaos as he could among the ranks.

"It worked like a charm. Some of the newer fighters lost their nerve and started to panic. They shot carelessly, often hitting their friends. A few of them took their pistols and…made the demon's work easier.

"All the time, that monster just kept going, practically tearing all in his path to shreds, even the metal of the guns that got in his way.

"A few of the more experienced soldiers managed to keep focused and shoot him. It did nothing. I know for a fact that at least half the bullets shot at him throughout the battle hit him. But nothing killed him. Someone even managed to smash a rocket launcher over his head, and another used a kamikaze technique of charging at him with a primed grenade.

"None of it so much as tore his cape.

"It took at least an hour or two for the slaughter that was the 'battlefield' to be silent. As the last scream echoed into the distance, I finally managed to work up enough nerve and sense to leave the tree.

"When I got down, I nearly threw up. Every inch of ground except for that near the tree was covered with the blood and pieces of the dead.

"That silver-haired monster, and I soon learned it was Hiora, had kept his promise. Except for me, there wasn't a single living soul on that field. Blood painted the earth a dark red, and the parts of my comrades were spread so far apart I couldn't tell who was who. The smell was terrifying, the massive stench of four thousand fresh bodies ramming it's way up my nose. Do you have any idea what that smells like?

"I walked around, forgetting that I had my camera on still, and that I was recording everything.

"Then I looked up, and saw him.

"I panicked, falling backwards and doing my best to move. But I couldn't, my body was frozen in fear with my camera hand pointing the lens right at the monster that had done this.

"I saw his eyes. They…they weren't human. One of them was a bright yellow, like the sun, and the other was silvery, but it looked more like it had an iris made of diamonds. But both of them were slit-pupils, shaped like fangs."

Manta: "That bit about a silver eye, that's what I saw, but they were both like that."

Mack: "His eyes were deep, and in them I saw nothing, and felt cold.

"Then he spoke.

" 'Will you mourn them?

" 'I suppose that is a pointless question. Of course you will. These are men and women that you shared your food with, shared rooms with, and for many of them, they have families and friends, those that will expect to see them home only to receive nothing but a sad message and false sympathy.

" 'I envy you, you and the people of your home. Some are supporting a cause they believe is right. Others are simply choosing to do something with their lives that will benefit others. But most simply want to protect their homes, their way of living. They solely want to save lives.

" 'I suppose that this is ironic. Here I am in a killing field of my own making, and yet I too wish to save lives. I hate irony, I really do.'

"His head hung low, 'I know that this is my fault, in more ways than one. I am weak, I did not fight hard enough, and this is the result, bloodshed. I know that I will not be alone when tears are shed for these poor victims of fate and weak-willed people.'

"Then his eyes turned sharply at me, or rather, at the camera. 'You, all of you, look upon this field of death. Lock this in your hearts, and burn it into your minds. When those who threaten the pokémorphs and Pokémon come to this land, you know who you are, I want you to take a look back upon this scene of destruction wrought by your prejudice and ignorance. I want you to remember this slaughter, brought about by that selfsame prejudice, and I want you to remember these words:

" 'I am far stronger than this, I have wrought this with not even a sliver of my power, and have not even begun to defend those you threaten.'

"With that, he turned into sand and disappeared into the winds, the sand being blown back into the trees that demon Hiora had sprung from.

-End Flashback-

Manta sat there, his mouth shut tight in shock. Mack took a drink before he spoke.

He looked right at Manta, "Now do you see what you're dealing with? This is no mortal man. This is a fucking _demon_ that took on four thousand fully armed, _trained_ soldiers without breaking a sweat. You don't stand a chance."

Manta just stared at the table of the bar, not saying a word. Then he finally spoke, "There is no way…"  
"What?"  
"There is no way that anyone could kill that many people and live. You're just try-trying to scare me."  
"You have to be joking."  
"You are just a liar."  
"Manta, look at me, look me in the eyes! I. Am. Not. Lying. I even managed to hold on to the original video before my superiors demanded it."  
"How-"  
"I made a duplicate. I even have it right here, I'll show you it if you still doubt me."  
"God no!"  
"Then _get your senses back_! You felt his power, you lost your balls to his crushing foot, and I bet he didn't even let you land a swing with that cleaver of yours."  
"You've got me there…"  
"Then think before you do something that will get us all killed! No one will follow you to face that beast, even if you lost your main attraction and your ability to have kids to him. No one!"

Manta smiled, "That's where you're wrong. A few of the other people in town agree, and we made a case to the police. They even brought weapons. I'm to take them to Hiora's doorstep so he can be arrested."  
"Are you really going through with this?"  
"Yes! That bastard can't be allowed to get away with this!"  
"You're insane! You've completely lost your mind!"  
"NO! I didn't loose my mind, I lost my balls! I've been assaulted! I can and I will have him under charges!"

Mack stood up from the table, "Then you are going without me."  
"What?"  
"I'm done, Manta. Honestly? I've never been comfortable with your tastes, or your methods. I don't know why we're friends."  
"We've been friends forever!"  
"No, not forever, and not friends, we were just partners, all we've ever been is simply partners in a business, and I don't want to work with you any more. I'm out."  
"You can't do this!"  
"Yes, I can. I've wanted to pull out of this partnership for years, but I never had the guts to say it to your face or act on my concerns. This little act of yours has pushed me too far though, Manta. This isn't justice, this is selfishness."  
"You're taking that bastards side!"  
"Maybe I am, but that's because I feel he's got the right idea about how some things should be done. When you go out there and lead those guys to their death, I won't be one of your lackeys, or your mistakes. It's over."

Then he left, Manta stuck at the table in surprise. Manta had nothing to say, so in anger he left the bar without paying. He marched, taking his coat as he left, and proceeded to the town square, where the police and his 'real friends' lie in wait for him to guide them to Hiora, where they would bring him to justice and give him his revenge.

Or so he hoped…

Back at the House of Arceus, home of Hiora…

The accused man in question was sleeping soundly in his bed, dreaming of better days, when he heard a knock at the door. Grumbling to himself, he gathered his things, got dressed, and made for the door.

He opened it with an oath, "What in the great blazes of a Flame-thrower…"  
"Sir, are you Hiora?"  
"That I am, problem officer?" (I had to.)

The other officer, the one that had a shotgun in his hands, answered, "Yes, there is indeed a problem sir. At six seventeen this evening, we received a visit from one Mr. Manta Avercry and a group of his associates, claiming that you had taken property belonging to as mentioned Mr. Avercry and assaulting his person to boot. Do you deny any of this?"

Hiora tensed up, gearing for a fight, "No, I don't deny anything, except for the first offense of stealing property. I would like to politely point out that Pokémon are not viewed as property, and to add to that, the Pokémon in question came to me of her own will and pleaded for sanctuary from said Mr. Avercry. A plea which I answered willingly, knowing that, from what I gleaned due to the poor state that she had come to me in and listening to her, Mr. Avercry would soon come knocking at my door.

"He did, as I expected. After a momentary exchange, he threatened not only my person, but that of the Oshawatt and of the others that live here. I did attempt to reason with him first, but when he tried to act upon his threats, I was forced to defend myself and my charges, during which Mr. Avercry, for lack of a better description, lost his balls. In more ways than one, I can tell you."

They all had a tiny laugh, even the police and the four guys that had followed Manta, who didn't think it funny one bit.

"Stop laughing and arrest him!"

The laughing slowly came to rest, but that time it took to calm the mirth only served to anger Manta more.

The officer, the male who was first to speak, wiped a tear from his eye. "Now calm down, Mr. Avercry, we'll get this straightened out."  
"Excuse me, officer, but would you happen to have proof that the Oshawatt in question is in fact the possession of Mr. Avercry?"

The female, who had the shotgun, brought out a document from her uniform pocket and handed it to Hiora, "The Pokémon isn't exactly a possession, per se, but this is a document certifying that Mr. Avercry is the legal guardian and provider."

Manta smirked, _'Try to worm your way out of this, you slippery son of a bitch.'_

Hiora took the document in hand, unfolding it so he could look at it properly. He made note of the seal, the signatures, and most importantly, the phrasing that the document had. He took a minute to read it carefully, thinking through any possibilities. Then he returned it to the officer. "Thank you for that, officer. That was…a very interesting read."

The male officer raised an eyebrow, "How so?"  
"Well, from the way the document is written, it says that Mr. Avercry here is simply a provider and a caretaker, and is meant to provide food, water, medical care, and a home for the Oshawatt. Am I mistaken?"

Manta was suspicious, "No, you're not wrong. But…"

Hiora shrugged, "But what? That's what it says."

Then he raised a finger, "However, it does not in any way give Mr. Avercry here rights to force the Oshawatt in question to work under him for her housing and care, does it? Nor do I believe that he owns rights to, ahem, have her 'entertain from up close' as Mr. Avercry put it so _elegantly_ during our meeting earlier today."

The female officer brought up her gun, but she had a feeling where this was going. Her gaze drifted to Manta, "So what, precisely, are you getting at sir?"  
"I am saying, madam officer, that Mr. Avercry here has been abusing the Oshawatt during her time under his 'care'. She was not only used to 'entertain' but, judging from the welts on her body and ill health, beaten and toyed with in a rather disturbing fashion.

"Furthermore, due to her state of being when she acquired my aid, it seems that _Mr. Avercry_ was neglecting the duties outlined in the guardianship document, failing to provide medical care and proper nourishment to the Oshawatt.

"Therefore, officer, I ask that you place Mr. Avercry under arrest for the crimes of multiple forms of abuse and negligence."

Manta was sweating, "Prove it."  
"Gladly, first off, Mr. Avercry told me, indirectly, that the Oshawatt was kept in a cage. How often and how well that cage was stocked with her needs, I have no idea. But I do not feel it was very well or very often, from what I heard. In fact, if you were to follow me into the store of Mr. Avercry, you could see for yourself."

Manta was now thoroughly frightened. Then he remembered what Hiora had said before, _' "You simply lack the patience to listen."'_ He knew that he was sunk. If Hiora could really understand that Oshawatt, then there was nowhere for him to run.

There was only one option left to him before the police were knocking down his door.

Manta grabbed the pistol from the male officer and pointed it at Hiora. Fortunately for Manta but unfortunately for Hiora, the officer had been negligent to turn on the safety.

Manta squeezed the trigger and a shot rang out, and in less than a second, Manta was left a quivering, broken wreck with a pistol in his hand. He was slowly pointing at Hiora, senseless rambling falling from his tongue.  
"D-d-did you s-see…"

The officer was more concerned with what he lost. Grabbing Manta by the hand, he deftly made the pistol drop and forced Manta to put his hands behind him. When Manta saw that his 'real friends' had abandoned him, he lost it.  
"That's no man, that's a demon! A real life demon!"

All that served was to make everyone agree that Manta was off his rocker. The officer who the pistol belonged to looked at Hiora, "Are you okay, sir?"  
"I'm fine. It was a good thing that I'd ducked when I did or I might have ended up like the wall back there."

No one had seen him duck, as they'd been more focused on the psychopath with a police pistol in his hand, but they nodded as Hiora pointed behind him. A hole was indeed in the wall behind him, just large enough to be noticeable. However, had they taken a closer look, they might have seen the hole was rather oddly shaped, like the bullet had entered it going sideways. But that couldn't happen, because bullets aren't fired sideways, right?

As the male officer 'guided' Manta away, reading him his rights, his female partner hung back. Then she let go of the breath that she'd been holding, "That was one hell of a close one, Hiora."  
"But I knew what I was doing."  
"Yeah, sure you did."  
"What intrigues me is why you're here?"  
"Are you kidding? Like there was a snowball's chance in hell I'd miss watching you work your way out of another corner. In fact, I think that this is good to watch."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yeah. Watching you squirm your way out of trouble helps me remember to keep an eye on my perps, and to keep my eyes and ears open."  
"Ah."

They stood there for a moment, thinking. Then Hiora spoke, "Officer Jenny."  
"Yes?"  
"What's the real reason you came?"

She smiled, "There's no shoveling bull with you, is there? Call it a hunch, but I felt you might need a little backup in case this turned sour."  
"As it turns out, you were half right."  
"So it seems. You know, for a second, I thought your eyes changed color. They looked silvery for a moment there."  
"I doubt it. I've always had and always will have these chocolate brown eyes of mine. What can I say, I like them."

She wasn't moved, "M-hmm…Even so…"

Hiora changed the subject.

"You know, you seem a little cold out here. I have plenty of room in here for you and your company. If you'd like to stay the night…" But officer Jenny declined, "No thanks, Hiora. I've got way too much work to do. And there's something about this place that I don't like."

Hiora shrugged, "C'est la guerre."

Officer Jenny tipped her hat, "You have a good night now sir."  
"Thank you, officer."

She started to walk away. It was only a couple of steps, but she stopped to look back at him. He smiled, raising his fist in a salute of sorts.

"For the Underground?"

She responded in kind, "For the Underground." Then walked away, a smile now decorating both of their faces. As she walked away, Hiora leaned against the frame of the doorway, shaking his head, amused. When she was gone, he went inside, and returned to bed, preparing for another harrowing week of protection, battle, heartbreak, and sacrifice.

As he had been doing for years.

As he was prepared to do for years more.

/

/

/

Now, approx. two miles from Hiora's House of Arceus, there was a village.

This was a special village. It was buried deep in the trees, hidden by the forest that it called home. This was not why the village was special.

This village was special, because it held a race of the outcasts, the unwanted, the ones scared for their lives and their kin. It held a race that lived in fear, a race wanting to live without that fear, and walk free in the world.

It held a race of pokémorphs.

Here, out far beyond the reach of human cities, isolated within the natural world, lived a race of pokémorph Lucario, fighting for life when nations wanted them to die. They used whatever they could get their hands on, trading and bartering, and sometimes even stealing technology and food to keep their people safe and healthy. On occasion they might even catch a trainer unawares and gain goods to sell, but it wasn't very often.

So survival was a constant battle with the elements and their own needs, making a balance to hold on to their health. On some days it was easy, others, it seemed impossible, for every morning they lived to see became a victory, and every moment spent working for the next.

Though they would trade with people, in truth they got involved with humans as little as they could possibly manage. Pokémorphs and humans were not on good terms, especially since society forbade the pokémorphs from using their abilities to defend themselves. Thus, they did the utmost to avoid human contact.

These pokémorph Lucario stood on their hind legs, like people do, but their bodies were that of Pokémon. Some of them wore clothing, but most did not have any need for it, and so wore nothing but their fur. Their bodies showed no signs of the genitals so prominently displayed on humans, except for the breasts of grown women, and even that was covered in fur to the point of decency in the human culture.

Their hands were still paw shaped, but they had longer, thinner digits, making it easier to grab and shape things like people. Furthermore, they sported no spikes on their person. Many of them wore tools and weapons on their person; guns, knives, bow and arrows, hammers, all sorts of things, most of which were attached to the back or hips for ease of access.

The children, who were Riolu, carried nothing, and were often seen running around, playing and testing their strength, preparing for when they could me Lucario.

All in all, it looked like a happy village, not one that was on the fringe of disaster.

But it seemed that it was indeed on the fringe of disaster.

One of their own, a female Lucario, was being escorted through the village by four armed guards. Her forepaws were bound by a rope, which had two leads, each held by one of the guards in the front. The ones in the back held spears, but were glaring at here like they'd wish she would do something to give them an excuse to put them into practice.

Glares that she could feel beating down on the back of her head. Her sharp green eyes were looking slowly from one thing to the next, as if searching for an angle to put to good use. They were deep and rich in color, full to the brim with intelligence and pride. She kept the pace her four keepers set, moving slowly through the village.

As they paced the village square, it seemed that every eye had fallen on them. Riolu children had stopped playing in the streets to look at them, some of the mothers ushered their young inside the house with worry, even the guards looked unnerved by the cold stares of everyone watching them in their little 'procession' as they took their charge to a rather specific building. Then any eyes on the guards fell on the prisoner they were taking with them. Even the two guards behind her let their eyes once again fall on her, not with hatred but with curiosity, wondering what she had done that was such a crime.

Her name…was Jade.

She gave the rope around her forepaws a small tug, and the two guards up front gave one back in response that was much stronger, causing her to stumble and nearly loose her balance. She decided not to do that again.

During the entire journey, neither she or her guards said a single word. There was nothing to be said, as everything they would want to say was written in their stances and walk, in the auras that the Lucario and even the Riolu could see plain as day.

They reached their destination; a temple-like hut near the village square. This hut was built differently from the rest. Whereas most of the other huts were built with tarp and canvas and whatever else could be found, this hut was almost picturesque in its design.

Fur upon fur seemed to flow together in the fabric that covered this hut. Trees had been planted and encouraged to grow together, forming a single wall around the structure, with frames put in place that the wall had grown around. The entry-way was low, and the frame for it was made of wood and bark that had been cured and twisted.

This building made Jade nervous. She had every reason to be.

They had to practically walk on all fours to gain entry to the building. The guards behind her gave her a push to hurry her inside. The inside was rather bare, save for the windows, which were covered, and the deep yet blazing fire in the center. On the other side of the fire, in seats of bone and leather, sat a set of seven figures. On the left, three male pokémorph Lucario, and on the right, three female.

In the center, sitting on the grandest of the seven seats, the antlers overhead giving it a throne-like appearance, sat a male full-blooded Pokémon Lucario. In his paws was a wooden staff, the head of the staff had a pearl with a snake wrapped around it. The snake, in the firelight, seemed to be alive, and to have sprung straight from the wood. Each of the other six wore a woven necklace that held a single diamond at its center, and the Pokémon, who seemed to be the leader of them all, wore a wood-carved crown that seemed to curve like a raindrop over his face, the front of which was resting over his brow.

This was the High Council, the leading force of this village.

One of the concepts that this particular village had borrowed from human culture was the justice system, even if they modified it to suit their needs and way of life. They saw the idea of the court as well thought, if flawed.

The specific thing that they used was the jury. While the idea of choosing different people at random from the populace to serve in the court to avoid corruption and deceit was a good idea, the village found flaws. For one, none of them were trained for this position, and were therefore susceptible to influence from a well skilled speaker. For another, having people serve on the court being law was also a bad concept, as it would build upon itself so that more and more would attempt to evade their duty.

Therefore, they decided to adapt it to fix these problems. They trained a select number of the populace for this specific duty, keeping record of them for when they would be needed, and had them live among the populace. Furthermore, they were sworn on an oath to keep to their duty and uphold the law, the punishment for failing to due said duty without proper reasoning was death, with no trial to give them escape. If they abandoned their duty, they died once they were found, end of story.

The leader of this system would be of Pokémon blood, as since they were of Pokémon descent, one of their forefathers should be the one to lead them. They would find one and ask for his guidance when the old one passed, and all would participate in the search until the new leader was found. If the old leader had a specific individual he had picked to take his place, then that one would do so.

This was the court system that the village had put into place, in order to uphold the law and maintain peace.

The guards that were behind her pushed her to her knees, and then bowed before the council, giving due respect to the ones who had led them through many a crisis. It went like this for a few seconds until the leader, waved one paw. The two rear guards climbed back through the door way, though everyone knew they would be nearby, standing watch should Jade try anything.

The leader looked Jade in the eye. A unique trait of pokémorphs, quite possibly due to the nature of the DNA that composed them, was an innate ability to be able to grasp both human and Pokémon language. Whereas humans were able to understand the basic idea a Pokémon was attempting to get across to them, like whether they were hungry or if they were agreeing or disagreeing, a pokémorph could intimately understand the exact phrasing and full concept of what was being said by both races. In a way, you could say pokémorphs were born bilingual.

The leader spoke, "Jade, it has come to my attention, and the attention of the High Council as a whole, that you have been accused of falling foul of the Creed, the code of law that allows us to maintain our survival and well-being. You have been brought here in accusation of said violations of the Creed, and are to undergo judgment, and if found guilty, to be charged with a punishment that is equivalent to your deeds. Now, stand so that the charges against you can be read for all present to hear."

Jade and her guards stood. This was not a very good sign. She would never have been brought here for her case to be judged unless the council was absolutely convinced of her guilt. Not a single one of them would believe for a second that she was innocent, otherwise she wouldn't be here right now. She chewed her bottom lip.

The leader spoke, "Pyre, as you chose to represent the accusing party, who had elected to remain anonymous, you shall read her the charges."

The male on the far left stood and bowed, "Thank you, Grand Master." He looked Jade right in the eyes, no remorse in his cold, cold gaze. "Jade, you stand accused of betrayal. There has been evidence given to us that you have been fraternizing with the human race, who, need I remind you, has attempted to destroy us on more than one occasion."  
"Not all of them!"  
"_Be silent_! In one way or another, humans have attempted to bring us to heel or to wipe us out entirely. You would aid a race that would only want us to beg like a Houndoom at their master's whim! You are a traitorous snake, and must suffer for your stabbing in the back."

He sat down again, and the leader, the Grand Master, sighed, "So it seems. Jade, while it is true that not all humans wished, or do wish, to wipe us from this earth, it is also true that there are few if any humans who would allow us independence and freedom. We share their blood, yet they look down on us. Even our brothers and sisters the Pokémon are not immune to this, though they seem to be better accepted by the humans. While we do trade with the humans, we do so as a last resort. Granted we also take what we need, but only the small things that we have the power to grasp. Even so, it grows harder and harder, but we _must_ remain as we are for the time being. If we bow to man, they will rope us and make us their servants, to do as they please, or they will come with their planes and their tanks and erase our whole existence. Excessive contact with them, until such time as they learn to allow us our free will, must be forbidden."

He stood, "Jade, the charges have now been read. It is now your turn to speak. I ask you to step forth, and tell us how you shall plead. Will you deny these charges, and see this unto its end, or will you accept them for a lighter sentence?"

Jade thought, not moving. This wasn't the first time she'd been here, brought under these same charges. But she'd managed to prove them false, or at the very least show that they were not as severe as it had been made out. This time, though, she had to give it some real thought to get out of this. She thought about the Creed, which had been written about three years before she'd been born, after the war had ended. She saw a copy of it over the throne of the Grand Master. As she went through each line, reading it carefully so as not to miss anything, a small gasp slipped out as she came across a minor ritual that could very well give her the escape she needed.

No one missed that gasp, and Pyre was up on his feet before anyone could react, "Don't even _think_ about trying to work your way out of this one! There isn't anything you can do to cover your ass this time! Nothing's going to save you from proper punishment! We've got you cornered, and this time you're going to get what you deserve, you slippery little-"  
"_Pyre!_"

The Grand Master was on his feet, staring him down. Pyre went silent and took his seat. When the Grand Master looked at Jade, there was an irritated look on his face, irritated and…relieved? "Perhaps you have remembered something we overlooked in our quest for the truth, again, hmm? I, as the Grand Master, and leader of the High Council, request that you tell us your thoughts. Share with us what caused you such surprise. I have no doubts that it will certainly be…interesting."

Jade took a couple deep breaths to calm herself down. This would possibly be overkill, and it was certainly very risky, but she was confident that she could pull it off. For her freedom, and her life, she was prepared to take the risk. She looked each of them in the eye, saving the Grand Master for last. She felt a little surprised by what she saw in his eyes. There was hope and…was that pride?

She took a deep breath, knowing there wouldn't be any going back once she said those words, and spoke clearly for all to hear, "I hereby invoke the rite of survival of the fittest."

Silence. Pure, dead silence filled the room. For what seemed like an eternity, not a single one of them said anything, even Jade seemed a little surprised by how quickly the room had gotten so quiet. You could have heard a pin drop.

Then Pyre exploded, "_You are a hypocrite as well as a traitor!_ You do not have any right, not _one_, to use the laws that you have violated to protect yourself! You don't deserve even the smallest speck of mercy, let alone from that specific rite! Grand Master, you agree with me, do you not? You must back me on this!"

He simply stayed silent, his brow creased as deeply as his thoughts. His head was bowed, one paw under his chin. It was like this for a full minute, everyone waiting for his verdict, waiting to see which side he would take.

When he finally lifted his head, his voice was solemn, "Jade, I will allow this request. Your invocation of the rite of survival of the fittest is sound. As you are the prey, you will have until the sun is half gone from the sky to prepare yourself and meet those that will hunt you on the grounds. Make your peace with Arceus and be ready by then."

She bowed and Pyre was livid. "You can't possibly-"  
"I can and I will, Pyre. Am I not still The Grand Master, leader of the High Council?"  
"Yes, but-"  
"Do I not have final say on whether or not someone has the right to invoke something?"  
"Yes, but-"  
"Is she not a member of this village, entitled to all the protections and benefits thereof?"

Pyre gave, "Yes, Grand Master."  
"Then she is entitled to invoke that rite. The accused are as much a citizen after they broke law as before they did. Is this not true?"  
"Yes it is, Grand Master."  
"I do not wish to have this conversation _again_ Pyre, especially now of all times. Am I clear?"  
"Yes, Grand Master."

Pyre went calm in his seat, and the Grand Master shook his head. "I would like to ask you to forgive him, Jade; Pyre is still new to the ways of the High Council. There is still much for him to learn. The guards will show you to the supply stores. There you can stock up on the tools for your survival, within reason, of course."

Jade inhaled again; she still had one last thing to do to help set her plan in motion. "With all due respect, Grand Master, I feel that the way we perform this rite has changed too much."  
"Oh?"  
"I remember hearing about the old way that we would perform this rite; where the prey was dependent on only his, or her, skills, and the hunters would only use the weapons that descend from the blood of their ancestors, both Pokémon and human alike."  
"What is your point, Jade?"  
"I agree Pyre, what exactly are you getting at?"

This was it, the thing that would help make sure she survived. "I believe that we should go back to the old way, when survival truly depended on your skill in the wild and determination to live. Would this not truly bring back the meaning of this rite, where only the fittest would be able to survive, and those otherwise would fall and fail?"

Understanding filled Pyre's eyes as the Grand Master closed his eyes in thought, weighing the options and sifting the logic as Pyre tried to convince with reasons of his own, "Grand Master, surely you can see the trickery that falls from her deceptive tongue! This is but a ruse to place the odds further in her favor and escape justice! While she is entitled to the rite, she does not determine what is or is not the true way to embrace the meaning of that rite! Think about who we are dealing with!"  
"Are you afraid to loose her?"  
"What?!"  
"Do you believe that the skill of our hunters is not enough, that Arceus would bring His graces to a law breaker instead of someone who fights for justice?"  
"No, of course not!"  
"Then you should have no problem. I cannot see how this would possibly favor her in any way. If you believe she must be caught, then you should be the one to lead the hunters in the chase."

Pyre growled quietly but bowed, "Very well, Grand Master. Even so-"

He held up his paw for silence, and received it immediately. Then he spoke, "Jade, I have thought this over…carefully, and I agree with your sentiments. We have drifted from the old ritual, and must reaffirm it and its meaning within ourselves. This should also please those who preceded us, showing that we have not forgotten them or their ways, but continue to remember them as time passes on. You shall survive on nothing but what you can find in the wild, and the hunters will only have their knives, their spears, and their wits to catch you. There will be no further deliberation; this is the final word on this matter. Guards, take her to the starting grounds, so that she may prepare for what is to come and ask for the guidance and the strength to live."

They proceeded to lead her away, but then the Grand Master called out, "Wait!"

They stopped with their backs to him, Jade turning halfway around to look at him. "Do not forget to undo her bonds and place the ruby necklace on her. That can and will be done in here, before the council, to make sure the orders are followed."

They did as they were told. One guard slashed her bonds, and the other grabbed an oak box. Inside the box was a necklace of woven vines, with leaves sprouting from it, and a single ruby necklace knotted in the center. The guard with the box tied it around her neck and made sure that it wouldn't fall off.

Once it was secure they led her away, leaving in just enough time to escape the explosion that burst out of Pyre the moment they were gone. "Have you taken leave of your senses, Grand Master?! Do you realize what you have done?! She might as well have been cleared of all charges! You've just let her go, practically scot-free!"  
"Precisely, Pyre."

That shut him up. "What?"

The Grand Master, using his staff to support himself, got up from the throne and made his way over to the window, looking out at the village. "Have you ever seen what happens when someone, be they Pokémon, one of our brood, or even human, attempts to imitate the role of Arceus? It does not matter who they are, or how virtuous they act or seem, the result is always disastrous."

He looked at Pyre over his shoulder, "We who are born of the womb, who tread the earth and suffer the challenges of the mortal coil are not nor will be ever be meant to play at His role. We are mortals, we cannot see farther than our own desires, our own problems, so how could we solve those of the world? It would not do to turn this council into a group of violent tyrants who choose whether a person lives or dies. This is why are system is the way it is; because all beings deserve a chance at redemption, a chance to make something good of themselves."  
"But, Grand Master, with all due respect, there is a massive difference between being given a _chance_, and getting off _scot-free_. You have essentially allow her to do the latter. She is a criminal, and she is a traitor."  
"But she is also my daughter."

No one had expected that. There was a collective gasp from the council as they quickly connected the dots. When Pyre looked the Grand Master in the eye, he found the same sharp green that Jade had in hers. The Grand Master turned his back to the window, facing the entire council. "The surprise of this statement to you all shows that my subterfuge has not been in vain."

To say that it was a surprise was an understatement. No one had had the slightest clue that the Grand Master had a lover among the women of the village, let alone the relationship had produced a child. He smiled slightly, "Not even Jade knows the name of the male who helped bring her into the world. This, I feel, was crucial."

Pyre was the only one who managed to retain his voice, "How? How do you see this secret as crucial."

The Grand Master sighed, "Because I wanted Jade to grow up with a bright and glorious future that she deserved. You know what I say, Pyre, you once spent your days in her company. She has a powerful aura about her, and she has a destiny that we can both agree would be nothing short of spectacular. Her destiny does not lie in this village, and I, being a father, want the best for her."

Then he grew solemn, "But, being the Grand Master, leader of the High Council and final say in all our matters when there is no agreement, must also be fair and view all our people on an equal ground. I have to maintain order by seeing everyone in the same light."

The Grand Master looked at his paw, and Pyre noticed a golden glint around the middle digit, "I believe the human term for this is 'damned if you do and damned if you don't'. If I had openly supported Jade's activities and encouraged her to do unruly things, then I would be a failure as a leader and sow chaos in our fields. That I could not stand for. However, if I only concerned myself with the law, punishing Jade as harshly as I would another, then she would come to resent me, or worse, end up trapped here for all her life, unable to fulfill the role Arceus had designed for her. That also, I could not stand for."

Pyre was struck dumb, something the Grand Master noticed, "So you see my problem. Two entirely different roles that I had to fulfill at the same time, but both being a way to destroy the other."

He looked up to the ceiling, as if thinking back to all the times Jade had Buizel'd her way out of trouble. "So now you see why Jade managed to get minor punishments and warnings every time she came here, but also how she had to work for it. Even so, I still feared that she would be caught in the lure of this place, trapped for all eternity in a minor role, as I willingly did for the greater good of others."

He took his staff with both paws and used it for support, suddenly weak. "It was only until now that there was a way for us both to succeed, a way that I did my best to encourage. It is the reason I had a duplicate of the Creed place over my seat, it is the reason that Jade has escaped serious punishment time and again. I was trying to get her to come up with some way to fix both our problems. I will admit, there were times when I thought that she would never discover the answer, that rather ridiculous incident where she rigged a pit trap at a popular hunting spot comes to mind, does it not Pyre?"

Pyre nodded, not wanting to relive the details.

The Grand Master continued. "Even so, neither of us are out of the woods yet, so to speak. I still have to make this as fair as possible. That is why I made you, Councilman Pyre, the leader of the hunt."  
"Why me?"  
"Because you are one of the best if not _the_ best hunter and finest nose in this village. You have the greatest chance of taking her during this rite. You and you alone have the greatest chance of besting her in this. Should you fail to capture her during the time and fail, returning with your forepaws empty but your conscience clear, you shall suffer the criticisms of the entire village. I this is the course that comes to be."  
"And if I succeed?"

The Grand Master was leaning against the wall, "You should know what will happen if you succeed, Pyre."

Pyre took a moment to read the Creed, searching for the rules of the rite of survival of the fittest. When he came to the line and read it through, there was a sharp intake of breath.

The Grand Master nodded, "Indeed. Should you succeed, you won't be taking her alive. If you are to succeed, then she must die."

Now everyone understood the risk that Jade had taken. It was indeed overkill, unless there was a reason for it. "She wouldn't have done this without a reason."  
"Exactly, Pyre, and I have a hunch what that reason is. But that is not important. You must remember that the hunting party follows your lead and your nose, so if you were to, _ah_, lead them astray…"

The center female made to stand, "Are you suggesting-"

The Grand Master cut her off with a wave of his paw, and she returned to her seat. "I am implying nothing. If something were to throw you off the trail, nothing would befall your party except a small amount of shame. The choice is yours to follow your heart and feelings or to follow your oath and sense of justice."

Pyre gave a single nod, "I understand."  
"Good, now I have something to ask all of you."

They all looked at the Grand Master, who took a moment to clear his throat before continuing. "Once, there were only two people, mates, who alone knew the secret of Jade's parentage, one of which has no power to speak of this. Now seven individuals have tongues from which that secret could slip, seven tongues whose eyes know the face and whose minds know the name of Jade's true father. I want to ask all of you to keep the knowledge of this in this room. This must be kept a strict secret."

The female who spoke before crossed her arms, "Why? Why does this need to be so secret? Why must she be deprived of the knowledge of who her parents are?"

The Grand Master chuckled at the question, "You should know very well why, Glimmer. To know that her father was the Grand Master would put doubt in all her accomplishments, and she considers her evasions great accomplishments. That knowledge would change her, as knowledge changes us all, and that would bind her to this place tighter than any rope. Do you think she would be able to leave behind the only parent that she can speak with, share anything with, or have to talk to about things she needs to understand?"

They all got it. "She's one of those children that refuse to leave their parents with no family to care for them. No, I couldn't do that, my heart wouldn't be able to stand it."

Pyre put his forepaw up, "I for one will be more than willing to keep this secret."  
"Thank you, Pyre."  
"As am I."  
"Thank you, Glimmer."

One by one each council member swore to keep the information within the walls of this place. Then the Grand Master stood straight, "Now, we must go. There is the hunting party you and I will need to pick, the finest hunters we can gather, and then we must make ready for the rite to begin!"

The cheery way he said that seemed to rub salt in Pyre's wounds. He hung his head, rubbing his temples, regretting the outbursts he'd had earlier at Jade.

The Grand Master place a paw on his shoulder, "You aren't the only one that has to go through this. Every one that takes a seat here gets seated with the same problem you do. We like to view it as Arceus testing us."

Pyre looked at his fellow council members, and they all showed they backed him all the way. He smiled, now much more confident in himself.

The Grand Master raised his staff, "Since that is all, I, Kenta, Second Grand Master of the High Council, declare that this meeting is adjourned." Then he banged the bottom of the staff against the ground, and the court session had been officially settled.

-The starting field, when the sky was just beginning to change colors-

Jade stood hunched over in the dirt circle, facing the forestry before her. Most of the village had come to see this; there hadn't been usage of the right of survival of the fittest in some time. There were a few that were watching Jade, and some of them were wondering if she was thinking about how to get away with her skin intact.

The truth? Jade was shaking in her fur. She had plenty of practice with survival skills, but there was a major difference between trying to scrounge food on a normal day and fleeing for your life in a race against ruthless hunters out for your blood.

And from her plan, this would indeed be a race, but one where only one person knew they were participating. Hopefully. The difficult and risky part of her plan was getting to her destination without tipping of her pursuers or getting beat there. If that happened, she was pretty much sunk. True, escape and stealth might be her elements, but having three, four, _five_ different enemies looking for her would make it really difficult.

Then, from under her arm, she saw four of them put on their nose covers, and was relieved. With only one of them being able to use her scent, they couldn't split up to flank her if they wanted to keep her trail.

She turned her attention to strategy, figuring out what she could do off the bat to give herself some extra advantages. She slowly scanned the flora growing before her, and made note of a sharp looking stone and some loose foliage that she could grab right off the bat. The tension made her nerves begin to fill her mind and stomach; at least she was hoping it was nerves that tightened her gut. She didn't remember what day of the month this was, and was suddenly praying it was just a few days short of that 'special' time of the month. The last thing she needed, let alone wanted, was hormones added to the mix and fouling up her escape plan.

Pyre, while hunched over, was in a different stance from Jade. Instead of leaning over while keeping his weight on his hind paws, he actually went on all fours, crouching like a real Pokémon on the hunt with his nose pointed at Jade, trying to memorize her scent. Or rather, trying to _look_ like he was, since he'd had that burned into his brain long, long ago.

Kenta, the Grand Master, stood on a pedestal. A loose red robe that was the garb of his station was draped on his limbs, making him look far older and far wiser. He was opposite the sun, and standing higher than anyone else.

He spread his arms wide, speaking clearly for all present to hear. "Citizens of our humble village," he declared, "today we honor one of the primal rules of the wild. Today we remember our ancestors as we make use of our rituals in tribute to Arceus and the world that he has wrought. Today, we begin the trial known as the rite of survival of the fittest!"

He gave pause for that to sink in, "As is the tradition, this trial is a manifestation of one of the oldest tests of survival, a test that has withstood the onslaught of time and is still among us today; a test that we all remember as the hunt!

"This is the oldest of the animal world laws! For only those with the strength to carry on in the grimmest circumstances can hope to live on! We are present here today to bear witness to this event beginning in earnest!

"One of our own has taken it upon herself to pass this rite and retain her life and freedom! She willingly risks her life, not only to honor Arceus and those that came before us, but to win her freedom without question to live as she sees fit! She will test her wits against the greatest and swiftest of our hunters. If she outlasts them and outwits them, then she is cleared of all ties to this place and will beyond the reach of our power."

Then his arms fell to his sides, "However, if she fails and is caught, she will suffer the fate of any other prey to a hungry animal, death."

Then he used both paws to point the staff at Jade, "You, Jade, who are the prey, have chosen this as payment for your guilty actions. As such, you shall be penalized accordingly so as to give a fair chance. Instead of the hunters waiting until the night has come as is the normal, when the sun is halfway to slumber, then they shall be released and the trial will begin. Furthermore, you shall also have to continue your evasion for a second day. This will make the trial fully equal to the severity of your actions, which you have chosen to pay for through this. This shall be your last chance to turn away and choose another fate. Will you still accept this?"

She nodded, "I shall."  
"Very well! Are you ready?"  
"Yes, Grand Master, I am ready!"  
"Councilman Pyre, are the hunters ready?"

Pyre took a moment to check and make sure the others had their nose covers on properly before returning to his four-legged stance, "Yes, they are ready!"

Then everyone but Jade and the hunters looked at the sun, watching it descend. Kenta raised his staff as the sun grew closer to the ground, and when it kissed the horizon, he cried out, "Let the hunt begin!"

Jade was gone like a bullet from a gun, already with the stone and vine-like foliage in her hands before anyone could see her. She tied the vine around the stone, making a kind of grappling hook. She swung it over her shoulder, grabbing a stick as she ran and sharpening it with her teeth for a second. She also scooped up a glob of mud with her free forepaw and started to rub it over herself, trying to cover up her scent.

She was gone in no time, her very shadow disappearing between the trees in a flash, wasting no time to get as much distance as possible. Meanwhile, the hunters were still waiting for the starting signal. Only some of the hunters had weapons, which were a spear, a knife, and a sling. Once the sun was halfway gone, Kenta gave the cry to release the hunters, and they sprinted off after Jade, Pyre moving on all fours like a hunting dog. As Pyre ran, leading the party, he thought hard about how he might give Jade an extra hand or two, trying to keep his logic and sense about him while his comrades were slowly but surely consumed but the thrill of the hunt…

-The woods, hours later into the night-

Jade swore as she tripped over an outstretched root for the fifth time, but she kept her momentum, rolling with the fall to keep forward. A few times, she'd heard the whoops and cries of the hunters behind her, and she knew they were slowly gaining. While she may be good at escape and stealth, Jade didn't have much speed when it came to actually _running_. She didn't think about that, but instead focused on her goal, knowing that she _had_ to get away.

She'd managed to find more of those vine-like growths in the woods, and so she'd fashioned a crude quiver and filled it with some dull, equally crude but also effective wooden spears. Stopping to make the points and make them usable might have lost her some valuable time and distance, but now she had weapons, now she had a way to fight back.

She saw some fruit in a tree, and threw a spear at it, hoping to knock it down. Instead, the spear sailed right past it and came to pierce a wild Growlithe, which had seemed to come from nowhere and was now sincerely pissed.

Jade swore, cursing her luck. Then she came up with an idea as the Growlithe started chasing her in the direction of the hunting party. Using her handmade grapple, she caught a branch and disappeared into the branches, right between the hunters and the Growlithe, who was now _really_ pissed and decided to take out its anger on the unfortunate hunters that had come from nowhere.

Jade watched from the tree for a moment, sending a silent prayer that thanked Arceus for crossing her paths with the Growlithe. It would take some time to bring it down, giving her some much needed breathing room. She wasted no time hauling ass as the Growlithe charred her pursuers; though she knew it wouldn't hold them off for too long and was only buying her some time.

She was right. It didn't take much time once the Growlithe had tired out from overusing the Flame-thrower. A hunter used his knife to slit its throat and it was over. Now they returned to the hunt, Pyre following Jade's scent. There was a lot of time left, and if they got lost this easily someone would know that something was up.

Jade hopped from branch to branch, sometimes swinging like Tarzan and sometimes sprinting like Altäir, moving with fluid grace. It surprised her how easy it was to do this, and how much faster it made her than running along the ground.

She took a detour on from her route, so that she could make sure that she was the only one who knew her destination. They would recognize where she was going had she continued forward, but instead she veered left, remembering where a small stream was located.

She didn't get that far, because it wasn't long before she heard the sounds of the hunters right behind her once more. Praying that the mud covered her scent enough to throw them off, she came to a halt in the caressing branches of a tree, becoming completely still and disappearing into the leaves like a ghost…

The hunting party came to a halt near her hiding place, Pyre sniffing the ground like he'd lost his scent. In reality he was simply stalling for time, trying to get Jade to come up with one of her sly tricks.

'_Come on, Jade,'_ he thought, _'I need you to dazzle us with one of your brilliant smoke-and-mirror escapes.'_

Jade peeked from the leaves, just enough to see without being seen. She looked for something in the tree or on the ground she could use for a distraction. It was only a matter of time before they figured out where she was and…

Jade look off at the trees, and started to pull her aura into her forepaws, shaping it into a ball. _'I have to maintain my calm if this is to work.'_ She took a slow, quiet, but deep breath, _'Stay frosty, Jade; focus your aura into a sphere, and then project it in the direction of your hands.'_

She launched a bright green Aura Sphere, and it made a small streak across the air as it moved, one that only Pyre saw.

The explosion was big and loud, and the distraction definitely got the attention of the other hunters, who went off after it in a hurry.

Pyre looked up at Jade's spot, catching her eye for a moment, only a moment, before he went off after the others to regain control and put them back on the path.

Jade was frozen for a moment. Of all the people, out of everyone, _he_ let her go? It made no sense. She guessed that it had been her imagination they'd met eyes, and she flew off for the river.

Pyre was relieved Jade had acted so quickly. Had it taken too long, one of the hunters would have no doubt removed his nose cover, and in doing so made the entire thing fall apart around the ears of everyone involved. Still, he felt guilty being unable to let Jade know that she had help on the other side. Then when he saw one of the hunters was missing from behind him, he panicked and went full speed, leaving the other three in the dust.

Jade made it too the river, now realizing how thirsty she was. Dropping her quiver, she dunked her head in the icy water and took a huge draft of the cold, refreshing fluid. She shook her head once it cleared the water; that had been a great cool-off.

Now she tried to piece together how to get to her destination. Looking at the small cliff far off to her left, she began to piece together a map in her mind. She knew where _she_ was and, hopefully, where her destination was as well.

She didn't get a chance to move however, as the unarmed hunter had hung back. He'd seen Jade move and now he had her.

The hunter grabbed her by the arm, and Jade instantly made to smash him in the family jewels and let her go, but somebody beat her to the punch.

The hunter suddenly went stiff and then collapsed, revealing…

"Pyre, what-"

Pyre cut her off with a forepaw over her face. He looked behind himself, as if he was being followed, and Jade instantly understood.

"Listen, there isn't much time. The others are right behind me. I just want you to know that I'm here to help you out. You aren't fighting alone."

Jade was struck dumb. This was _Pyre_, the one who'd been the first to date her, the one who'd first suffered her famous balls-crushing kick when he got drunk and wanted to 'de=flower' her, the one who'd openly opposed her at every opportunity on the council whenever they met. Why was he _helping_ her?

Jade couldn't move, and then Pyre grabbed her around the waist and _kissed_ her. "I'm sorry Jade, I've been a fool."

Then he rushed off, leaving Jade immobile. In the heat of the moment, he'd kissed her, and not only left her completely speechless, but unable to even think.

Then he heard the unconscious hunter begin to wake up, and the sounds of his friends, and Jade unfroze, remembering her plan and crossing the river, a small thread of guilt wrapped delicately around her heart.

When the hunter woke up, his friends told him that Jade must have knocked him out, and he thought nothing of it.

For now…

As Jade dashed through the trees, following the river downstream and away from the cliff and Pyre, her thoughts were now a jumbled mess. She crossed the river as the hunters did, distracted by her 'attack' and blinded by anger, and continued to dwell on Pyre.

She eventually became overly distracted by her thoughts; she forgot to watch her footing.

She continued to run through the branches, and even kept doing so as she suddenly ran out of tree to run through. She hurtled forward and down, sliding in an empty grass field that seemed to be surrounded by forest, and landed on her left shoulder. There was a loud pop, and she suddenly felt pain. Her shoulder hung a little too loosely where it attached to her body.

Then she felt the dawn on her body and turned to see the sunrise. But that wasn't all that she saw.

She saw a familiar wooden shack.

A familiar wooden shack in the woods that happened to belong to the only person who could outfight a group of armed hunters without breaking a sweat, and who could help Jade survive.

Because _he_ was her plan.

Jade moved much more slowly than before, walking carefully and holding her arm so, if it was broken, it wouldn't swing. The pain refreshed itself in her mind, but she fought it, biting her lip to focus on _getting inside that shack_. She walked with care so as not to further damage her shoulder.

She couldn't hear the hunters, but she had a very sneaky suspicion that they were once again right on her tail.

Her resolve was strengthened twofold, knowing that salvation lie only mere feet in front of her. With the sun rising, the first day was almost half over, but she did not allow her confidence to overrule her reason. There was still the possibility something could go wrong, and she had to be able to respond quickly if it did.

As she made her way through the entrance, she made her voice as loud as it could be.

"Help, help me, please!"

Then her legs gave out under her and she fell over, using what little of her strength remained to land on her good side.

\\\

Hiora had been sleeping, and had just woken up, ready to greet the sun, when he heard a cry for help come from the front of the building and then the thud of something, or some_one_ falling over. Instinctively he grabbed his things and dressed as he ran; getting his pants on first to cover up his Hello Kitty boxers (I'll explain later).

Once he got to the main hall at the front, fully dressed with gloves in hand, he noticed the blue-black form lying on the floor in the doorway. He rushed over to check on it and found it was a Lucario pokémorph.

"Are you alright?"

She tried to get up, and Hiora grabbed her bad shoulder, causing her to cry in pain. He quickly let it go, and then gave it a good look.

"Alright, I think your shoulder is fine, you just popped it out of the socket is all. There's nothing to worry about, okay? I can help you fix it. First, clench your fist.

She did, and there was a little pain.

"Good, that's very good. Now bend your arm at the elbow, make a right angle."

She did, and there was quite a bit of pain.

"You're almost done. Now I need you to lift your arm parallel to the floor. This will probably hurt. Here."

He took his robe and wrapped it around one of the spears in Jade's quiver, and then he had her open her mouth, "This will give you something to bite on, okay?"

Jade took it in her jaws, and then she lifted her arm. The pain was great, and sharp, and she bit down so hard on the spear it snapped in two and tore holes in the robe. She let her arm fall and Hiora caught it.

"It's alright. You have a good tolerance for pain. Here, I'll put it back in the socket; you just bite down again if you feel any pain, okay?"

Unfortunately there were no more wooden spears in the quiver. Hiora simply folded the already torn corner and put it back in her mouth. Then he gingerly took Jade's arm, giving the shoulder a quick but strong jab, and it popped.

She bit hard, but then the pain had gone down to a dull and she felt much better. She moved her shoulder experimentally, seeing if that had really fixed the problem.

It had.

"Is that better?"  
"Yes, thank you."  
"Think nothing of it. Was that your problem?"

As Jade opened her mouth to answer, Hiora stiffened, cupping his ear to the forest behind Jade. His mouth was a grim slash, "I'm going to take that as a no. It seems your 'friends' have found your trail." Then he took a couple sniffs, "and I think I know what gave you away."  
"What?"  
"It's nothing important right now. You came seeking shelter and safety, right?"

She nodded hard.

Hiora placed a hand on her newly recovered shoulder, "Well then, you called for help, wanting sanctuary from your aggressors. That I will provide, as I am duty-bound to do. However, I would like you to explain the situation, and the quicker the better I think."

So Jade gave him the quick and dirty version, telling how she'd invoked a village rite, how she'd been hunted since she came here, how she survived, why she'd done what she'd done, everything except the confusing business with Pyre. She didn't know how she felt about that information, so she decided to keep it to herself. As she told her story, she got a good look into Hiora's eyes, and tried to see his aura. It was strange; because Hiora didn't seem to have an aura at all, but all living things had an aura, and it took years and years of training to be able learn how to suppress it. As for his eyes, Jade looked hard into their depths as she talked, and the more she said, the more that three distinct emotions became clear: compassion, awe, and anger.

When she finished, Hiora closed his eyes and took a long deep breath. His brow creased in thought, "Well, this is a difficult situation. You willingly took a risk when coming here, and then claimed sanctuary with your cry for help. But then again, this seemed to be lesser of two evils. You've put me in a difficult position, young lady. I am compelled to provide you protection as you have asked, but I also cannot allow someone who has broken the law to get away without paying for their sins."  
"But all I did was talk to people!"

That brought a new emotion into Hiora's eyes, sadness. He sighed, "I know. You told me as such." Then he smiled, "From what I see, you're just an unlucky girl who ended up in a bad situation. I don't think what you did was traitorous. Your village had an unfair law. Maybe going against it was your way of doing the right thing."

Jade was confused, but Hiora just rubbed her head, "Don't think about it too much, kid. Besides, you asked for protection, and I as a man of Arceus am entitled to give it to you."

Then he kissed her on the forehead, "You are now a child of this house, and as the father of this house I will protect and provide for you until you have a home of your own. I'll make sure that you get to go back."  
"I can't go back."  
"Why not?"  
"Once this is over, I don't have a home there anymore. I'm on my own out here. That's what this test is for."

Now Hiora truly understood the risk that Jade had taken. "Well, I'll make sure you get a home. Maybe even a family. Sound good?"

Jade nodded. "Good. Now do me a favor and stay behind me, and whatever you do, stay in the building and behind my back until you're in the clear. From what I hear, you really managed to piss them off."

Jade did as she was told, and Hiora put on his gloves. "If we can talk with them first and make them give up, everything should be peachy keen, right?"  
"There won't be any talking to them. They won't give up until I'm dead or the time limit is up."  
"Couldn't they just tell everyone you're dead?"  
"They have to bring back proof."  
"Ah…"

Hiora stood up straight, backing a bit from the doorway. In fact, he went all the way over to the mat and stood on top of it, keeping Jade behind him the entire time. As he turned to face the door, Jade wondered how he'd keep her safe from so far away. Then something else he said came back to her as she began to faintly hear the cries of the hunters. Hiora had said, _"From what I hear,"_ but Jade was only now hearing them, and barely at that, though the sounds were growing stronger by the second.

The really funny thing was, Lucario hearing was far better than that of a human, and while pokémorphs did not have as keen of ears as their full-blooded relatives, they were certainly better with their ears than people. So how was it possible for Hiora to hear them from so far away when she couldn't hear them until now? Not even the sharpest ears of a full-blood Lucario were quite _that_ sharp.

Hiora turned his head to look at her with one eye, and gave her a 'thumbs up', "Don't worry. I can handle anything they could throw at me."

'_That's what I'm afraid of…'_ she thought.

But now, as for how he could keep her safe so far from the entrance, that burning question was about to be answered, as she could hear them being so loud and angry at where the trail had led them Jade had no doubts that they were upon the doorstep.

'_I hope that this doesn't turn into a fight…_

'…_I don't want Pyre getting hurt.'_

/

/

/

**And…that is a WRAP ladies and gentlemen! Now I know that some sections are still very weak, especially the ones that weren't in the previous version, you know which ones I'm talking about, and I apologize. I wrote them in the heat of the moment. However, I hope everything else turned out better than expected. I am certainly **_**very**_** surprised how different this is. Perhaps since I listened to the intro song whenever I wrote this it might have affected it.**

**As for the color change for Hiora's eyes, I don't know where that came from. Honestly, I kind of feel that brown eyes suit his character so much better than green ones.**

**Hiora: I certainly like the change, now my eyes are a different color from my robe. That certainly looks better.**

**N.F.: I agree.**

**Anyway, thank you for your patience, and I hope that this was satisfactory.**

**This is Nicki Fowl, cross-world writer extraordinaire, signing off.**

**Peace peeps!**

**(**_**Ending theme: Change by Egypt Central, which I listened to writing this ending author's note)**_


End file.
